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4. A Tribe Called Quest "Check the Rhime" (1991)

Producer: A Tribe Called QuestAlbum: The Low End TheoryLabel: Jive/RCA

"Check the Rhime" converted all and any doubters who expected Tribe to fall off after their first album. Part back-and-forth rhyme cipher and part celebration of their lower-middle-class Queens roots, "Check the Rhime" boasts a great sample from Average White Band's "Love Your Life" and one of Phife's most inspired verses. Q-Tip's verse is purposely understated but effective, and it contains a nice little jab at MC Hammer.